"We have to keep people from running into burning houses," Sirois said.

Sirois said he reviewed the incident, and concluded that Stosuy was justified in forcing Poulin, of 27 Bidwell St., into a snowbank and using pepper spray when he continued to violently resist.

Poulin said Tuesday night that he stands by his story that Stosuy went too far. He and his aunt, Elizabeth Hird, with whom he lives, still plan to file a complaint against the police. They said Poulin suffered cuts and bruises to his forehead, nose, hands and elbow.

No one was injured in the fire at 32-34 Daniel St.

According to Stosuy's police report, Poulin was one of two men who tried to walk west on Daniel Street, toward the burning house. Stosuy told them to stop, and one man, Poulin's cousin, did. Poulin did not.

Stosuy instructed him to stop "several more times," and Poulin yelled an expletive at the officer, threw his arms in the air and kept walking. Stosuy went after Poulin, caught up to him as he approached the burning house, and again told him to stop. Poulin continued walking and yelled another curse.

Stosuy wrote in his report that he grabbed Poulin's arm to place him under arrest, and Poulin "violently resisted." He forced him into a snowbank and attempted to handcuff him, but he continued to resist arrest.

After Poulin was handcuffed and placed in a police cruiser, a young woman whom police identified at Catherine Hansen also approached the burning house. According to the officer's report, he told her not to go farther, but she ignored him and tried to walk past him, he said. Stosuy blocked her path, and she attempted to continue.

He grabbed her arm to stop her, but she pulled away and repeatedly called him a derogatory name, Stosuy wrote.

Hansen, 22, of 37 Bidwell Ave., and Poulin were each charged with interfering with police. Poulin was also charged with possession of fireworks and carrying a dangerous weapon after 12 small firecrackers and three Ninja stars -- martial arts weapons -- were found in his wallet.

Poulin's story differed from the police account. He said he ran toward the burning house because he didn't know his mother, who lives in the house, had gotten out. He said he stopped running toward the house when he noticed someone next to him and realized the person had been yelling at him.

But Stosuy sprayed him and threw him face first into a snowbank, he said. He said Stosuy sprayed him a second time, calling him a "crackhead," while he was down on the ground. Stosuy then picked him up and threw him in the bushes, Poulin said.